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Marianne O'Neill
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I am a greeting card enthusiast. Really! I used to put that on cover letters when applying for jobs. My boyfriend embraced my quirky passion and actually found it endearing. I guess he should have considering I mailed him at least 100 cards while he served in Operation Desert Storm. He thoughtfully began the weekend that changed my life by presenting me with a card that read, “Ready for some adventure?” Little did I know just how meaningful that $1.25 greeting would become…
Bob had planned a whole weekend getaway – a surprise trip away from his MA apartment and the CT home where I was living with my parents. He wouldn’t tell me anything other than to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. I was young and impressionable, so that’s just what I did. I tucked my card, the first of many that weekend, into my duffle and off we sped in his red convertible. We made our way to Rhode Island with ease; it’s where we had first met years before. We stopped at a gourmet deli, one Bob had scouted out in a book, bought a scrumptious picnic lunch and took it to a vineyard further up the road. We toured the site, bought a bottle of the local wine and ate our meal on a blanket in the warm, summer sun. He gave me an envelope marked #2. Inside was a green card. On it was a cartoon character with a purple mustache. Below was the caption, “Got Grape?” I found it so entirely romantic.
We checked into a friend’s timeshare in the heart of Newport with the bulk of the afternoon still ahead. I figured we’d hit a few bars, have some dinner, perhaps go dancing and call it a night. Bob had other, premeditated ideas in mind. He supplied cards #3 and #4 at an outdoor cafe. They were serious and sentimental, ones that produced sighs and hugs after reading. He then casually suggested going to the Cliff Walk, a 3.5 mile path that hugs the coast and reveals stunning views of several famous mansions.
On the taxi ride over to Bellveue Avenue I received a humorous Shoebox greeting card which made me laugh and think to myself, "what a fabulous day!" After a spectacular house tour Bob led me to the Cliff Walk and down the cliff itself – onto the rocks below the popular Breaker’s gates. He presented me with a new card. I didn’t think much of it since he had been giving me notes all day. However, this envelope seemed strangely loaded. It felt puffy. I didn’t open this one right away, but first gave him a questioning look. After all, this surge of romanticism was not entirely characteristic of my Army Captain boyfriend. He narrowly smiled and nodded his insistence that I open it. When I did, I found that the front of the card had a stuffed fabric mushroom with one simple word next to it: “Hi.” “Oh”, I thought, “my heart needn’t race any more, it’s only a mushroom.” I lifted the cover and didn’t even read the words inside – my eyes were blinded by a breathtaking engagement ring sliced into back of the card. I promptly closed the card, flailed my arms and screamed, “Oh My God.” I must have sounded in need of assistance because a crowd started forming on the walk above us. We had all the makings of a true public proposal which I think pleased Bob very much. He steadied my arms and the card; his investment was far more than $1.25 this time! (I later found it odd that he hadn’t taken the time to tape the ring safely into the card considering our proximity to the crashing surf.) He caught my darting eyes in his, took a deep breath and said, "Will You Marry Me?" I barked a couple more ‘Oh My Gods’ before the audience from above yelled, “Well, what’s your answer?”
“My answer’s yes!" I said, "yes, I’ll marry you!” Applause ensued, we kissed, and I secured the ring on my finger.
I've fondly remembered those moments when looking at my ring. And I've wondered if anyone’s ever made a wedding proposal greeting card. That’s not a category you’ll likely see on the store racks. Being the enthusiast I am, I do think there’s one out there. And I’m determined to find it ?
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